Maya Chen
Illustrator
| Phone: | (415) 555-7892 |
| Address: | San Francisco, CA 94102 |
| Website: | https://www.mayachen-illustration.com |
| Email: | maya.chen.illustration@email.com |
- Versatile illustrator with 6+ years of experience creating compelling visual narratives for children's publishing, editorial clients, and commercial brands
- Specialized in character development and sequential storytelling with expertise in both digital and traditional watercolor techniques
- Successfully delivered 150+ projects on deadline while managing 3-5 concurrent assignments across diverse client portfolios
- Proven track record of increasing client social media engagement by 45% through illustrated content series and brand storytelling
- Strong collaborative skills with experience interpreting abstract creative briefs and incorporating feedback through multiple revision rounds
Work Experience
Freelance
Freelance Illustrator
2021-Present
- Developed 75+ custom illustrations for 22 clients including Scholastic Books, The Atlantic, and Target Corporation
- Increased client social media engagement by 45% through weekly illustrated content series for 8 ongoing brand partnerships
- Delivered 100% of projects on deadline while managing 3-5 concurrent assignments across children's publishing, editorial, and commercial sectors
- Specialized in children's book illustration, completing 5 published books with combined sales of 50,000+ copies
- Created editorial illustrations for The Atlantic and Medium, with 3 pieces receiving over 100,000 online views
- Developed initial character concepts through 50+ thumbnail sketches per project, presenting 3 complete style samples for client selection
Bright Minds Publishing
Staff Illustrator
2019-2021
- Created illustrations for 12 children's educational books with total circulation of 200,000+ copies across North American markets
- Collaborated with 6 authors and 3 art directors to ensure visual-text harmony through structured revision processes
- Maintained character consistency across multi-book series, developing comprehensive style guides for 4 recurring character sets
- Reduced project turnaround time by 20% through streamlined digital workflow implementation and asset organization systems
- Mentored 2 junior illustrators in digital painting techniques and client communication best practices
Creative Spark Agency
Junior Illustrator
2018-2019
- Supported senior illustrators on commercial campaigns for clients including Nike, Whole Foods, and local San Francisco businesses
- Created 30+ spot illustrations for digital marketing campaigns, contributing to 25% increase in client click-through rates
- Adapted illustration style to match 8 different brand guidelines while maintaining artistic quality and deadline requirements
- Participated in client presentations and creative briefings, developing skills in translating business objectives into visual concepts
Education
California College of the Arts
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration
2018
Relevant Coursework: Visual Storytelling, Digital Illustration, Character Design, Sequential Art
Professional Development
Continuing Education
2021-2023
Character Design Masterclass with Stephen Silver, 2022
Society of Illustrators Annual Workshop Series, 2023
Children's Book Illustration Intensive, Art Students League of New York, 2021
Society of Illustrators Annual Workshop Series, 2023
Children's Book Illustration Intensive, Art Students League of New York, 2021
Skills
Technical Skills: Digital: Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign), Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, Figma
Traditional: Watercolor, Gouache, Pen & Ink, Graphite, Mixed Media
Hardware: Wacom Cintiq, iPad Pro with Apple Pencil, Large format scanning
Traditional: Watercolor, Gouache, Pen & Ink, Graphite, Mixed Media
Hardware: Wacom Cintiq, iPad Pro with Apple Pencil, Large format scanning
Illustration Specialties:
- Children's Book Illustration - character development and sequential narrative
- Editorial Illustration - conceptual work for complex topics
- Commercial Illustration - brand adaptation and marketing applications
- Character Design - development from concept through final execution
Professional Capabilities:
- Client communication and creative brief interpretation
- Project management and deadline coordination
- Visual problem-solving and conceptual thinking
- Brand guideline adaptation and style flexibility
- Constructive revision handling and feedback integration
Selected Publication Credits
The Atlantic
Editorial Illustrations
2022-2024
Editorial Illustrations
"The Secret Garden of Dreams"
Scholastic
2023
Children's Book
"Adventures in Friendship" Series
Bright Minds Publishing
2020-2021
3 Books
Medium.com
Contributing Illustrator
2021-Present
Contributing Illustrator
"The Magic Paintbrush"
Independent Press
2022
Children's Book
Recognition
Communication Arts Illustration Annual
Communication Arts
2023
Selected Work
Society of Illustrators Student Exhibition
Society of Illustrators
2018
Merit Award
3x3 Magazine Professional Show
3x3 Magazine
2022
Honorable Mention
Outstanding Senior Portfolio
California College of the Arts
2018
Outstanding Senior Portfolio
Professional References
Sarah Martinez
Senior Art Director, Scholastic Books
smartinez@scholastic.com | (212) 555-0198
Relationship: Commissioned and directed my work on two children's book projects (2022-2023)
Relationship: Commissioned and directed my work on two children's book projects (2022-2023)
James Wilson
Features Editor, The Atlantic
jwilson@theatlantic.com | (202) 555-0176
Relationship: Regular editorial illustration collaborator, over 15 published pieces (2022-Present)
Relationship: Regular editorial illustration collaborator, over 15 published pieces (2022-Present)
Dr. Lisa Chang
Chair, Illustration Department, California College of the Arts
lchang@cca.edu | (510) 555-0134
Relationship: Former professor and ongoing portfolio review mentor (2018-Present)
Relationship: Former professor and ongoing portfolio review mentor (2018-Present)